Automatic card distributing device



p 1931- E. J. HANGERUD 1,824,542

AUTOMATIC CARD DISTRIBUTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 24. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l o 0 5 i O IIII Q jql/ /7 I w Q) I 47 "5 I /Z l {K 6': y I I I 42 45 i ATTORNEY Sept. 22, 1931. E, 1 HANGERUD 1,824,542

AUTOMATIC CARD DISTRIBUTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 24 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig: 5

.far/ fianyerud INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1931 PATENT ounce J. HANGERUD, OI PORTLAND, OREGON AUTOMATIC CARD DISTRIBUTING DEVICE Application filed October 24, 1929. Serial No. 402,146.

The primary purpose and object of my invention is for the distributing of a number of cards, one at a .time, at a plurality of spaces disposed about a fixed point, the same being done automatically and continuously until the total number of cards to be distributed have been exhausted.

My invention may be used inthe dealing of cards in card games wherein the pack of cards may be distributed, one at a time, at two or more locations, disposed about a given point, the resultant piles of cards being distributed representing the hand of each individual player.

The invention in its preferred embodiment consists of a base and a housing disposed centrally of the base and superposed thereabove. Automatic means are provided within the housing for the distributing of the cards one at a time, in a given sequence about a. fixed central point. Spring means are pro vided as the prime mover. The spring motor is adapted for being wound, at intervals, to provide'the generating power for manipulating the associated mechanisms.

The primary purpose and object of my in vention is for the dealing, or distributing, of cards from a pack, or pile, in a given sequence about a common center.

A further object of my invention consists in eliminating the manual distribution of cards in card games.

A further object of my invention consists in providin automatic means for'the distributing of cards in a given sequence and the delivering of the same at fixed points dis-' posed about a common center.

With these and lncidental obJects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of arts, the essential elements of which are set orth in the appended claims, and a preferred vation of the device, taken on line 2-2 of Fi 1, looking in the direction indicated.

ig. 3 is a sectional, plan view of the assembled device, the'same being. taken'on a plane Just beneath the cover memberwit certain parts being broken away.

Fig. 4. s a perspective, end view of the mechanism adapted to stop the device at each cycle of operation and for rotatin the device to facilitate the distribution 0 the cards at fixed points about aoommon center. Fig. 5 is a sectional, side view of the mechanism adapted for stopping the device at the completion of eaclf cycle of operation.

Fig. 6 is a sectional, end view of the driven and driving mechanism and of the feed rolls for forcibly ejecting the cards to be distributed from the device.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the anism illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the feed rollers and of the distributing rollers and illustrating the stop pawl for stop ing the cycle of operation upon the compl etion of the same.

Fig. 9 is an end view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 8, illustrating the stop pawl as having engaged a slot disposed within the table over which cards to be distributed are fed. -The cards form a shield for the slot until thetotal number of cards have been distributed, after which the pawl falls into the slot and stops the cycle of operation.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the eeding pawl and illustrating the same in locked engagement with the camming surface.

Fig. 11 is aside view of the pawl mechanism shown in operative position, the same pawl mechbeing a side view of the elements shown in,

that of the card being fed by the feed roller 1 time, and through which the cards to be distributed are outwardly ejected. The deck of cards 4 are inserted through one of the slots or openings 3 and are placed upon a table 5. The table 5 normally rests upon a com ressible element as a coil spring 6. The placing of the deck of cards to be distributed represses the table 5 until the cards to be distributed are placed beneath the feed roller 7. The feed roller 7 normally rests upon and engages the uppermost one of the deck of cards. be utilized for the purpose herein outlined, but I have found splendid results may be obtained through the use ofa spring motor 8. The spring is, fixedly secured to, and wound about, a shaft 9. The shaft 9 is journaled within suitable bearings within the frame. '"A shield 10 is disposed about the spring motor. A driving gear 11 is disposed upon the shaft 9 and the same coacts with a pinion 12 that is disposed about the shaft 13. The shaft 13 has a feed roller 7 mounted thereupon that is formed integral therewith. The feed roller 7 is made of any suitable material that is adapted to engage the uppermost one of the cards comprising the card deck and to feed the card from the deck when rotated. The feed roller 7 moves the card to be distributed and delivers the same into a pair of feed rollers 15 and'16. The feed rollers 15 and 16 are mounted upon suitable shafts 21 and 23 that are journaled within the side walls 17 and 18 forming the frame, A relatively large gear 19 is mounted upon the shaft 13 and the same coacts with the pinion 20. The pinion 20 is secured to the shaft 21 to which the feed roller 16 is fixed. The gear 19 is secured to the same 15 and 16 at a much faster rate of travel than the rate of feed from the feed roller.

In a device of this kind, it is found desirable to dispenseihe cards with some force and I have found that this may be accomplished by the speeding up of the dispensing rolls 15 and 16 as compared to the rate of peripheral travel of the feed roll 7. It is also found desirable to increase the rate of rotation of the feed rolls 15 and 16 as compared to the rate of rotation of peripheral travel of the feed roller 7: first, to increase the spaced relationship of the card being distributed from the distributing rollers over 7, it is absolutely necessary, in my device, to

rotate the assembly through the degree dis-' posed between each distributing station between the time the card is fed from the distributing r lls and the time the next succeeding card is to be fed into the distributing rolls, by the feed rolls, and therefore, the

Any suitable prime mover may rate of rotation of the gear 20 is substantially higher than that of the rotation of the gear 19. When the deck of cards to be distributed is placed upon the table 5, the compressible element 6 is repressed and the cards are made to engage beneath the feed roller 7. The frame assembly is supported upon a supporting pin 21A that extends centrally through the upper surface of the housing. Aratchet wheel 22 is fixedly positioned upon the lower side of the casing 2. The number of notches 24 that are secured in the ratchet disc determines the number of stations at which the depending frame is to be made to stop in its rotation about the supporting pin 21A and therefore the number of hands that will be dealt. An arm 25 is associated with the pin 21A and is adapted for being rotated therearound. A ratchet pawl 26 is secured to the arm 25. An actuating lever 27 is pivotally disposed upon a supporting shaft 28 and a link 29 is disposed between the arm 25 and the arm 30 that terminates the upper end of the lever 27. The shaft to which the feed roller 7 is secured, extends through the side wall of the frame, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and terminates in a feeding cam 31. The rotation of the shaft 13 to which the feed roller 7 is secured rotates the cam 31. An arm 33 is secured to the free end of the lever 27 and is normally in registerable alignment with the cam 31. As the cam 31 is rotated by the rotation of shaft 13, the cam 31 engages with the arm 33. The arm 33, when in normal position, is adapted for actuating the lever 27 and in doing so the ratchet feed pawl 26 engages the notches in the disc 22. The disc 22 is fixedly maintained upon the casing 2. The depending frame will be moved about the pin 21A for the distance of the space of the notch 24 disposed upon the disc. Since I have provided four openings 3 disposed within the housing, I have shown a space of four notches as being equally spaced about the disc 22. The deck of cards is placed in precise alignment with the openings 3 within the housing. This alignment makes possible the ejecting of each card through the station or opening 3 disposed within the housing in timed relationship with the rotation of the frame with which the deck is secured and from which the same are being distributed. It has heretofore been described that the feed rollers 15 and 16 have a higher peripheral speed than that of the feed roller 7 and therefore, as soon as the card is picked up by the feed rollers 15 and 16 a space will be quickly developed between the card being distributed and the next card to be distributed. A shaft 3 1 is journaled within the side walls of the frame and it carries a pawl 35. The pawl 35 is in registerable alignment with a slot 36 that is disposed between the table forming sections 37 and 38. The shaft 34 also carries a rocker arm 39. When the card 40 is fed from the deck and passes beneath the arm the same partially rotates the shaft 34 until the arm 35 rides upon the card and when the. card has passed beyond the supporting position for the arm 35, the arm 35 will then drop into the slot 36 and in doing so the shaft 34 is partially rotated. In the rotation of the shaft 34 the arm 39 is also manipulated.

prevent the rotation of the shaft 34 suflicient- 1y to permit the entrance of the locking lug 41 into the hole 44 of the brake band. The brake band 42 isfixedly positioned upon the depending frame and a brake shoe 45 is secured to the shaft 21 and when a predetermined rate of rotation is developed by the shaft 21, the shoe 45 which is held by the spring 46 through centrifugal action, engages the inner surface of the brake band 42 and regulates the maximum rate of speed at which the shaft 21 may be rotated. When the locking pin 41 has entered the hole 44, in

the brake band 42, the end 47 of the brake shoe engages the pin and stops the associated elements being driven by the spring motor. The arm 33 is pivotally supported upon the supporting pin 48 and the arm 33 carries a lever pawl 49 as illustrated in Fi 4. The end 50, of the lever 39, engages t e locking pawl 49 and the weight of the same pivots the arm 33 about the supporting pin 48 and places the same in registerable alignment with the cam 31, in which position the ratchet wheel will be manipulated for one cycle of operation. A lip 51 is disposed in the line of travel of the arm 33 and insures the return of the arm 33 and the arm 27 in precise starting position by the permitting of the arm 33 to pass the lip 51 and enter therebehind. A spring 52 insures the positive action and return of the arm 27 when the driving action is released.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein-shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow. Q

What I claim is:

- 1. In a device of the class described, the

' combination of a base, a housing superposed on the base, a supporting pin disposed centrally of the upper surface of the housing, a frame depending from the pin and disposed within the housing, entrance and discharge openings disposed in equal spaced relationship in the side wall of the housing, a card deck of cards disposed upon the card receiving support, and automatic'means for receiving the cards delivered by said feed roller, and ejecting one card through one of said openings and for rotating the frame to the next succeeding opening and for discharging a card therefrom as a continuous operation until the entire deck of cards has been exhausted.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, a housing superposed on the base, a supporting pin disposed centrally of the upper surface of the housing, a frame depending from the pin and disposed within the housing, entrance and discharge openings .disposed in equal spaced relationship in the side wall of the housing, a card receiving support disposed Within the frame, a feed roller mounted over said card receiving support, means for maintaining the cards in intimate engagement with said roller, means for driving the feed roller and thereby feeding one card at a time from the deck of cards disposed upon the card receiving support, automatic means including ejecting rollers for receiving the cards delivered by said feed roller and ejecting one card from one of said openings and for rotating the frame to the next succeeding opening and for discharging a card therefrom as a continuous operation until the entire deck of cards has been exhausted, and automatic means for stopping the operating mechanism when the last card has been ejected from the device.

3. In a device of the-class described, the combination of a base, a housing superposed on the base, a supporting pin disposed centrally of the upper surface ofthe housing, a frame depending from the pin and disposed within the housing, entrance and discharge openings disposed in equahspaced relationship in the side wall of the housing, a card receiving support dis osed within the frame, a feed roller mounte over said card receiving support, means for maintaining the cards in intimate engagement with said roller, means for driving the feed roller at one rate of speed and thereby feeding one card at a time from the deck of cards disposed upon the card receiving support, and a pair of ejecting rollers disposed in the line of travel of the cards being fed by the feed roller, means for driving the ejecting rollers at a rate of speed higher than the speed of the feeding roller, and automatic means for ejecting one card from one of said openings,

for rotating the frame to the next succeeding opening, and for discharging a card therefrom as a continuous operation until the entire deck of cards has been exhausted.-

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, a housing superposed on the base, a supporting pin disposed centrally of the upper surface of the housing,

a frame depending from the pin and disposed within the housing, entrance and discharge openings disposed in equal spaced relationship in the side Wall of the housing, a card receiving support disposed Within the frame, a feed roller mounted over said card receiving support, means for maintaining the cards in intimate engagement with said roller, means for driving the feed roller at one rate of speed and thereby feeding one card at a time from the deck of cards disposed upon the card receiving support, and

a pair of ejecting rollers disposed in the line of travel of the cards being fed by the feed roller, means for driving the ejecting rollers at a rate of speed higher than the speed of the feeding roller, automatic means for ejecting one card from one of said openings, for

rotating the frame to the next succeeding opening, and for discharging a card therefrom as a continuous operation until the entire deck of cards has been exhausted, and automatic means for stopping the operating mechanism when the last card has been ejected from the device.

EARL J. HANGERDD. 

